After ‘tin’ years, it’s time to celebrate

IF I could have invited the whole of Mallorca to come and play out with us for the afternoon then I would have.
As it was we still had more than 150 adults and children with us last weekend when my husband and I celebrated our ‘tin’ anniversary with our own version of a village fete at the Sa Taronja Cultural Centre in Andratx. We were allowed to have our party there because we are members of the association. It’s a struggling arts organisation which needs and deserves your support so please sign up for their newsletter (http://www.sataronja.com/feedbackenglish.php).
When Oliver and I decided to have a party we gathered our ‘dream team’ together, starting with Jerry Whitehouse from Lifestyle Catering who did an incredible job with a beautiful hog roast and the best selection of salads ever.
My good friend Diane Hughes made us an incredible celebratory cake whilst another good friend of mine John Lambourne travelled from one side of the island to the other just to play the bagpipes for us and surprise my dad.
The wonderful Marisa Rogers ran our ‘Secret Garden’ for the children where they painted jam jars for nightlights, and made headdresses which were swiftly appropriated by the mummies as well.
Mary Lynn and her band performed Alt Country, folk and acoustic favourites all afternoon for us, followed by DJ Hugh Carville running the karaoke much to the delight of the kids, and then later the adults who sang an enthusiastic version of Bohemian Rhapsody. (When I say “enthusiastic” I mean “legless”).
Taz, a new friend of mine, entertained the kids with some hip hop grooves and even managed to get the boys dancing! And my extremely good friend, Aimee, took these stunning pictures for us.
Then there were a legion of helpers before, during and after the do. The party wasn’t just for Ollie and I you see, it was for everyone we know, to celebrate getting through the last 10 years, all the ups and downs, the triumphs and disasters, all of the light and shade that we have experienced whilst living here.
If I had closed my eyes and tried to imagine my perfect party then it would have been it. It was a perfect Mallorcan family day, every single person there is part of the collective history that we have, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
www.familymattersmallorca.com